Finding a therapist, counselor or psychologist in Salem Oregon
Salem is the capital of Oregon and while it feels pretty rural at times, the truth is, it’s a city as complex to navigate as say, Portland.
Salem isn’t a terrible city to live in, in fact, it is beautiful here. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with its problems. Life comes up where ever you are, and Salem Oregon is no different. We all could use a little help navigating when struggles come up and there is where a therapist can help.
There are a lot of people in Salem and the health care structure doesn’t seem to be able to keep up with the need. Mental health practitioners are no different than other medical teams when it comes to shortages.
So how do you find a good therapist in Salem or for that matter any city in Oregon? If you are lucky enough to have insurance oftentimes they have a list of providers to choose from. That is a good start, but I find personally that telling my secret stuff to someone I have no background on just isn’t going to cut it. I want to know a few things first and I bet you do too.
First, I want to know what they specialize in treating and what their education is in that particular focus. If they tell me, they work with survivors of trauma what types of trauma do they treat? If they work with children, how long have they been in practice and what ages have they got experience with. Where did they go to school? how many years have they been in practice? How about privacy? What if I want to pay cash and have no record of our sessions? can they work with that? Where is their office? Is it conveniently located and is there parking?
Look for someone that you feel you can connect with. Check psychology today and see if they have an ad up and a picture. See if they offer a free 15-minute consultation to check for a good fit.
It is important to understand that if you use insurance of any kind the insurance companies have access to your medical records and diagnosis to some extent. They have a medically necessary diagnosis to be able to pay their clinicians.
If you don’t have a medically necessary diagnosis but still need help you might just need a coach not a therapist.
What is the difference you ask? Well, a counselor is treating a problem that is significant. It will have disrupted your life enough to qualify for diagnosis. It is “medically necessary” to treat it.
Coaching is available to people that just need some support to figure out how to get through a situation. It is not medically necessary and does not require a diagnosis. There is no need to bill insurance and no need to share that you are working with a coach. My unique training in trauma, women’s issues, working with the LGBT community, and supervision and management, offers my clients multiple options for support.
Finding counseling in Salem Oregon doesn’t have to be challenging.
I hope this helps you to find the therapist you need in Salem Oregon. If you are still feeling stuck give me a call. I offer a free 15-minute session to hear what is happening and help direct you to the right person. (503) 428-3938
Karen
